About Us

The Indigenous Tourism Association of New Brunswick (ITANB) was officially formed in 2018 with a devoted volunteer working group. It now has nine members on its Board of Directors, including representatives from the Mi'kmaq, Peskomuhkati Recognition Group, and Wolastoqiyik First Nations, partners from the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick (TIANB), the Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI). The majority of the board are Indigenous community leaders in economic development and are entrepreneurs in the tourism industry.

The Board of Directors has been very busy establishing this not-for-profit organization since 2018. A 2020 Business Plan, 2020 Strategic Plan and 2021 Marketing Development Plan have been produced, keeping in mind the COVID-19 pandemic and its protocols.

ITANB will rely heavily on membership to represent the tourism operators and industry become a solid entity and access pertinent information on the Indigenous Tourism Industry. Membership will allow free-flowing information and guidance pertaining to the tourism industry in New Brunswick and across Canada to reach Indigenous tourism operators.

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) partners with all provincial and territorial Indigenous tourism associations and provides a national perspective and opportunities in funding and development of tourism operations to elevate them to the point of being showcased internationally. Our job is to ensure that Indigenous tourism operators become business-ready, market-ready and export-ready.

 

Our MISSION is to "Represent, support, and grow our sustainable Indigenous tourism industry."

Our VISION is for "Vibrant communities and peoples with successful Indigenous tourism industry businesses sharing our own stories in our own voices."

 

Guiding Principles:

1. Sustainability 

Stewardship of our lands and waters is our top responsibility, for current and future generations. Our Indigenous tourism industry must address environmental sustainability on an ongoing basis.

2. Industry driven

We are an Indigenous tourism organization led by Indigenous tourism business owners and operators in New Brunswick. We work closely in partnership with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) and others working on creating a successful authentic Indigenous Tourism industry. We seek to help create and strengthen Indigenous tourism businesses through product development and marketing support. We speak, at times, with our collective.

3. Work in Partnership

We work in close partnership and respectfully with our Mi'kmaq, Peskomuhkati and Wolastoqey communities and territories. We also work closely with all our First Nations, our Chief and Councils, our Economic Development Officers, and all our leadership and members. We seek to empower and unite our people, particularly our youth, and provide opportunities to become involved in the Indigenous tourism industry. We also welcome the opportunity to work with strategic partners with complementary goals.

4. Authenticity - Our Stories, Our Voices

We seek to ensure that our Indigenous stories are told in a good way through our own Indigenous voices. We ensure that our Indigenous tourism businesses are the ones sharing our authentic experiences, as we enhance our cultural expression through tourism.